Burlington--If the number of entries in the 2023 Growing Works of Art contest is any indication, Vermont students have a deep appreciation for trees, both in their own backyard and local woodlands.
A total of 228 Grade K-8 students submitted a work of art using any medium and a written story relating to the theme, "Branching Out." For their entry, students were asked to describe a meaningful experience where they have grown, changed, connected or learned something new because of a tree or trees in their lives.
The Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program sponsored the annual contest in partnership with University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation. Entries were judged on creativity and originality (50 percent) and how well the student conveyed their story through writing and art (50 percent). Many of the entries were from schools where the teachers incorporated the contest into their English, art or science curriculum.
The winner in each grade level won a Vermont State Park punch pass and will be featured on "Across the Fence," UVM Extension's weekday farm and home program on WCAX-TV.
The top entries are posted online at go.uvm.edu/growingart. The winners are:
- Kindergarten: Maeve Archer, Marion Cross Elementary School, Norwich
- First Grade: Sage Williams, Roxbury Village School, Roxbury
- Second Grade: Jack Jarvis, Mater Christi School, Burlington
- Third Grade: Jasper Lawrence, home school student, Tunbridge (Jasper is a two-time winner, having also won as a first grader in 2021.)
- Fourth Grade: Gwendolyn Firlik, Mater Christi School, Burlington
- Fifth Grade: Sadie Murnaghan, Mater Christi School, Burlington
- Sixth Grade: Shea Bellezza, Shelburne Community School, Shelburne (Shea was the Grade 5 winner in 2022.)
- Seventh Grade: Miles Lawrence, home school student, Tunbridge
- Eighth Grade: Carly Stone, home school student, Springfield